Congratulations go out to the Trottier Big Band after a top-notch performance earned them top honors at the University of New Hampshire Jazz Festival earlier this month.
The prestigious festival features high school and middle school ensembles from throughout New England and New York, including high school big bands, middle school big bands, jazz combos, jazz choirs, as well as solo vocalists. All groups are adjudicated and given written and recorded comments.
Each year festival judges grant two “outstanding performance” awards to ensembles in each division. Trottier’s 3-song performance featuring solos from musicians in 6th through 8th grades, earned them one of the outstanding performance awards for the Middle School/Junior High division. The ensemble that captured the second outstanding performance award in that division? Northborough’s Melican Middle School Jazz Band. Not a bad weekend for the Northborough-Southborough district.
Trottier and Melican are no strangers to success, with both groups having been recognized for their performances at the festival in past years.
Commenting on another remarkable performance by the Big Band, Trottier Music Director Jamie Clark said sharing the honor with Melican makes the accolade even sweeter. “We are just thrilled to share this honor with our neighbors in Northborough,” Clark said. “The kids work incredibly hard and their love for big band and jazz tunes shines through in their performances.”
